Allowing terminally ill people to end their lives would not lead to a “slippery slope” of widening eligibility criteria, an MP pushing for the law has insisted.
Kim Leadbeater told Sky News there is a misconception that in countries where assisted dying has been introduced, the scope has been broadened over time.
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The MP for Spen Valley is today introducing a private members bill on the matter, saying the current law is “not fit for purpose”.
The proposal would allow terminally ill, mentally competent people to end their own life.
Asked about the “slippery slope” argument, Ms Leadbeater said: “Wherever a law has been introduced in other countries and it’s got strict limited criteria with proper safeguards and protections, it hasn’t been widened. So there is a perception that’s the case but it isn’t the case.
“Where there are countries where the law is broader, that was always how it started. So I think there is a perception around the slippery slope concept, which actually isn’t reality.”
The Canadian government had been due to expand their assisted dying laws to mentally ill people in March this year, but delayed it until 2027 amid concerns over the health care system’s readiness.
The country has already loosened the criteria since introducing euthanasia legislation in 2016, no longer requiring the presence of a terminal illness.
Ms Leadbeater said Canada was much larger than the UK so laws are “more difficult to monitor and control”.
She added: “I’m really clear. This is about people who are terminally ill.
“It’s not about people who are mentally unwell, what we need to do is improve the treatment of people with mental health conditions. And indeed, we need to improve the treatment for people who are suffering from long-term chronic conditions.
“That’s another issue and I’ll fully back those campaigns.”
The conversation around legalising assisted dying has been increasingly in the…
